Chapter 16

　　1995INT. SLOW BEND CAFE - PRESENT DAY - EVENING
The same saloon/restaurant of twenty-five years ago has beenturned into a modern cafe yet the original charm is stillthere.

　　Carolyn and Michael sit in a booth, with half-eaten dinnersbefore them. Carolyn has been reading the book to Michaelwhen she looks across from her to find -- Michael looking likea little boy who is fighting not to cry.

　　CAROLYNWhat's the matter?

　　Michael shakes his head. He can't or won't explain. He's tooupset. His eyes tear up. Carolyn feels badly for him.

　　MICHAELI'm going to get some air.

　　He exits. Carolyn smiles sympathetically. Somehow this lastpassage of their mothers doesn't affect her in the same way.

　　She returns to the book but first asks a passing waitress,with great urgency.

　　CAROLYNCan I smoke here?

　　The waitress nods. Carolyn needs a cigarette for the rest ofthis. She opens her bag to get her pack. Inside her bag shenotices a BUSINESS CARD. She picks it up to read IRA NEWMAN,attorney. Divorce. Pre-Nuptials. Marital¹ Litigation. Shepauses for a moment. Then, tossing the card back inside, shelights her cigarette and takes a drag. We follow the curls ofsmoke up as we:

　　DISSOLVE TO:

　　1965INT. JOHNSON LIVING ROOMCamera moves down curls of smoke, to reveal:

　　Robert and Francesca in each others arms, under a blanket onthe living room floor on a bed of couch pillows, smoking acigarette after lovemaking. Francesca seems miles away --feelings of regret and guilt² creeping in.

　　ROBERTAre you comfortable?

　　(she nods)Do you... want to move to thebedroom?

　　FRANCESCANo. I can't. Not yet.

　　She can't bring herself to go into her husband bed.

　　ROBERTYou want to eat something?

　　FRANCESCAAre you hungry?

　　ROBERTNo.

　　Silence. Robert shifts his body to face her.

　　ROBERT (cont'd)Honey. Are you all right?

　　She looks at him and starts to cry, shaking her head. The roomis filled with memories of her family. She nestles in his arms.

　　He folds her. She closes her eyes.

　　FRANCESCATake me somewhere.

　　ROBERTWhat?

　　FRANCESCARight now. Tell me someplace you'vebeen -- someplace on the other sideof the world. Anywhere but here.

　　ROBERT(thinks, then:)How about Italy?

　　FRANCESCAYes.

　　ROBERTHow about Bari?

　　FRANCESCAYes. Tell me about the day you gotoff the train.

　　ROBERTHave you ever been to that station?

　　FRANCESCAYes.

　　ROBERTYou know that little place nearbywith the striped awning³ that sellssandwiches and little pizzas...

　　The two transport themselves together to another place, wherethere is no familiar memories surrounding them to interfere⁴.

　　CUT TO:

　　EXT. JOHNSON PORCH - NIGHTThe two sit in bathrobes on the porch looking out over thepasture. They have plates of dinner on their laps. They eatvoraciously.

　　ROBERTDo you have anymore of the stew⁵?

　　Chewing, Francesca nods and leans over, picks a pot off theporch and ladles some more onto his plate. Too much falls outand it spills onto the robe.

　　FRANCESCAOh, I'm sorry.

　　ROBERTIt's okay. It's not that hot anymore.

　　Thanks God.

　　Francesca hands him a dish rag. Robert wipes off the foodrevealing his bare leg. She reaches over and touches it. Helooks at her and smiles. She leans over and kisses himpassionately until, suddenly, she pulls away. She looksupset. She rises and moves away to look out to the pasture.

　　Robert can sense what is wrong.

　　ROBERT (cont'd)You think too much, you know that?

　　FRANCESCAI just feel like I'm getting a little... out of control that's all. It'skind of frightening.

　　ROBERTWhy?

　　FRANCESCAWhy!? Because, I'm having thoughts Ihardly know what to do with. I...

　　can't seem to... stop them.

　　ROBERTNobody's asking you to.

　　FRANCESCA(excited)And arraccinos and zeppolis. Yes! Iknow it!

　　ROBERTI sat outside and had coffee.

　　FRANCESCAWhere? Near the doorway⁶ or the near thefront of the church?

　　ROBERTNear the church.

　　FRANCESCA(closes her eyes)I sat there once. It was hot. Liketoday. I'd been shopping. I had allthese bags around my feet I kepthaving to move every time the waitercame by...

　　DISSOLVE TO:

　　EXT. SANDWICH CAFE - BARI - DAYFrancesca sits at the outdoor cafe in Bari with shopping bagsaround her feet. She re-arranges them as the waiter passesby, mumbling⁷ something vulgar under his breath. When shelooks up -- Robert is standing⁸ there. She smiles. He offersher hand. She takes it and rises. They leave the cafe.

　　MONTAGE:

　　Francesca and Robert together against the breathtakingbackdrop of the Italian countryside.

　　EXT. BARI COUNTRYSIDE - DAYOn a lakefront, Robert and Francesca make love.

　　WE INTERCUT WITH:

　　INT. JOHNSON LIVING ROOM - EVENINGFRANCESCA AND ROBERT MAKING LOVE ONCE AGAIN.

　　Francesca looks at him and understands he is giving her fullpermission to explore whatever she wants. Hesitantly, shecrosses to him and takes his plate away. She stands beforehim, leaning him back into his chair. She slowly,tentatively, opens her robe. She strokes his hair, thencaresses his head and gently guides it between her legs.

　　1994INT. SLOW BEND RESTAURANT - NIGHTC.U. on an ashtray⁹ filled with cigarette butts¹⁰ as Carolynanxiously lights another. These last entries have overstimulated her. She calls to the waitress abruptly¹¹.

　　CAROLYNCan I get another cup of coffee,please?

　　When she looks up, she sees Michael has returned. He sits.

　　CAROLYN (cont'd)Where did you go?

　　MICHAELBar across the street.

　　CAROLYNHave you called Betty?

　　(she shakes his head)Maybe you should.

　　MICHAELI found out who Lucy Delaney is.

　　(she looks interested)Remember the Delaneys from HillcrestRoad?

　　CAROLYNYeah. But I thought she died.

　　MICHAELHe remarried. Apparently¹² they werehaving an affair for years.

　　Apparently the first Mrs. Delaney wasa bit of a stiff.

　　CAROLYNYou mean -- she didn't like sex?

　　MICHAEL(nods, then simply:)I bet mom could've helped her.

　　CAROLYNBoy. All these years I've resentednot living the wild life in someplace like Paris and all the time Icould've moved back to Iowa... Areyou drunk?

　　MICHAELNot yet. You want to go?

　　CAROLYNI think I better. Between the bookand the coffee, I'm this close toraping the busboy. 　　大路和远游客罗伯特.金凯在以后几天中放弃了摄影,而弗朗西丝卡.约翰逊除了压缩到最起码的必要劳动之处,也放弃了农场生活.两人所有的时间都呆在一起,不是聊天,就是做爱.有两次,他应她要求为她弹唱吉他歌曲,他的声音中上,有点不大自在,说是她是他的第一听众.她听了笑着吻他,然后往后仰,躺在自己的感觉之中,尽情听他歌唱那捕鲸的船和沙漠的风.

　　她坐着他的哈里跟他到得梅音去把照片寄到纽约.只要有可能,他总是把第一批底片先寄出,这样编缉就可以知道他的工作意向,技术员也可以先检查一下,看看他相机的快门是否运行正常.

　　随后他带她到一家谊华饭店吃午饭,在餐桌上握着她的手,以他特有的方式目不转睛地看着她.侍者瞧着他们微笑,暗中希望有一天自己也能感受到这样的感情.

　　她对罗伯特.金凯这样意识到自己的生活方式正在逝去,还能处之泰然,感到不可思议.他眼看着那些牛仔们以及与他们类似的人,包括他自己,步步走向死亡.现在她开始理解为什么他说他是处于物种演变的一个分支的终端,是一个死胡同.有一次他谈到他所谓的"最后的事物"时悄声说道:"'永不再来',高原沙漠之王曾经这样喊道,'永不再来'."他瞻望自己身后空无一物,他属于过时的品种.

　　星期四下午他们做爱之后进行了谈话.两人都知道这场谈话终须以来,而两人都一直在回避.我们怎么办?

　　她默不作声,是内心极度矛盾的沉默,然后柔声说道:"我不知道."这样好吗,如果你愿意,我就呆在这里,或是城里,或是随便什么地方.你家里人回来之后,我就径直跟你丈夫谈,向他说清楚现在的局面,这事不容易,不过我会做到的."她摇摇头."理查德决不会接受,他不是这样想问题的.他根本不理解什么魔力,激情以及其他我们谈过的,经历过的一切,他也永远不会理解.这不一定说明他是次一等的人.只不过这一切离他毕生感受过的或想过的太远了.他没法应付这样的事."那么是不是我们就让这一切付诸东流?这我也不知道.罗伯特,认真地说,你已经拥有了我了.我原来不想让人拥有,也不需要我知道这也不是你的意图,但是事已如此.我现在并不是在草地上坐你身旁,而是在你的身体内,属于你,心甘情愿当一个囚徒."他回答说:"我不能肯定你是在我体内,或者我是在你体内,或者我拥有你.至少我并不想拥有你.我想我们两个都进入了另一个生命的体内,这是我们创造的,叫做'咱们'."其实,我们也不是在那个生命里面,我们就是那个生命.我们都丢掉了自己,创造出了另一样东西,这东西只能作为我俩的交织而存在.天哪,我们就是在相爱,天上人间爱能有多深就爱多深."跟我一起走四方吧,弗朗西丝卡!这不成问题.我们可以在大漠的沙堆里做爱,在蒙巴萨的阳台上喝白兰地,僚望阿拉伯三角帆船在初起在晨风中扬帆启程.我要带你去狮之国,到孟买湾边是一座古老的法国城市,那里的一个奇妙的屋顶饭店,还有火车穿过山间隧道,还有比利牛斯山的高处巴斯克人开的小旅店,在南印度一块老虎保留地有一个特别的岛,位于一大片湖中央.如果你不喜欢大路上的生活,那么我就找个地方,开个店,专摄当地风光,或肖像,或者干一行随便什么能维持我们生活的营生."罗铁特,我们昨夜做爱时你说的话我还记得.我不断地在你耳边说你力量多大,天哪,你可真是强有力.你说,'我是大路,我是远游客,我是所有下海的船.'这是对的,你是这么感觉的,你感觉大路就在你身体里面.不,还不止如此.我不知道我能不能说清楚,从某种意义上说你本人就是大路.幻想与现实相遇的夹缝,就是你所在的地方,在外面大路上.大路就是你."你就是那旧背包,那辆叫作哈里的卡车,那飞向亚洲的喷气式飞机.我也愿意你是这样假定如你所说,你的物种进化的分支是一条死胡同,那我也要你以全速冲向那终点.可是同我在一起你就不一定能这样做.你难道看不到,我是多么爱你,以至我不忍看你有一时一刻受到约束.这样做等于把你这个野性的,无比漂亮的动物杀死,而你的力量也就随之而消亡."他要开口说话,被弗朗西丝卡制止了.罗伯特,我还没说完,假如你把我抱起来放进你的卡车,强迫我跟你走,我不会有半句怨言.你光是用语言也能达到这个目的.但是我想你不会这样做.因为你太敏感,太知道我的感情了.而我在感情上是对这里有责任的."是的,这里的生活方式枯燥乏味.我的生活就是这样.没有浪漫情调,没有性爱,没有在厨房里烛光中的翩翩起舞,也没有对一个懂得情爱的男人的奇妙的感受.最重要的是没有你.但是我有那该死的责任感,对理查德,对孩子们.单单是我的出走,我的身体离开了这里就会使理查德受不了,单是这一件事就会毁了他."除此之外,更坏的是他得从当地人的亲言碎语中度过余生:那人就是理查德.约翰逊,他那意大利小媳妇几年前跟一个长头发的照相的跑了.理查德必须忍受这种痛苦,而孩子们就要听整个温特塞特在背后叽叽喳喳,他们在这里住多久就得听多久.他们也会感到痛苦,他们会为此而恨我."我多么想要你,要跟你在一起,要成为你的一部分;同样的我也不能使自己摆脱我实实在在存在的责任.假如你强迫我跟你走,不论用体力或是用精神力量,我说过的,我都无力抗拒.我对你感情太深,没有力气抗拒.尽管我说了那么多关于不该剥夺你以大路为家的自由的话,我还是会跟你走,只是为了我自私的需要,我要你."不过,求你别让我这么做,别让我放弃我的责任.我不能,不能因此而毕生为这件事所缠绕.如果现在我这样做了,这思想负担会使我变成另外一个人,不再是你所爱的那个女人."罗伯特.金凯沉默不语.他知道她说的关于大路,责任以及那负疚感会转变她是什么意思他多少知道她是对的.他望着窗外,内心进行着激烈斗争,拼命去理解她的感情.他哭了.

　　随后他们两个长时间抱在一起.他在耳边说:"我只有一件事要说,就这一件事,我以后再也不会对任何人说,我要你记住:在一个充满混沌不清的宇宙中,这样明确的事只能出现一次不论你活几生几世,以后永不会出现."他们那天夜里-星期四夜里-又做爱,在一起躺着互相抚摸,悄悄耳语,直到日出很久.然后弗朗西丝卡睡了一会儿.等她醒来时已是红日高照,而且已经很热.她听见哈里的一扇门嘎嘎作响,就披衣起床.

　　她到厨房时他已煮好咖啡,坐在桌子旁抽烟.他对她笑笑.她坐过去把头埋在他脖子里,两手插进他的头发,他的胳膊搂着她的腰.然后他把她转过来,让她坐在怀里,抚摸着她.

　　终于他站了起来,他穿上了旧牛仔裤,干净的咔叽布衬衫上两条桔黄色的背带,那双红翼牌靴子扎得很紧,腰里插着那把瑞士军刀.他的照相背心挂在椅背上,口袋上露出扳机带子.牛仔已经穿扎停当,准备上马了.我该走了.

　　她点点头,开始哭起来.她看见他眼中有泪,但是他一直保持着他特有的微笑.我可以给你写信吗?我想至少给你寄一两张照片.可以.皮士摄影师的信,只要不太多."你有我在华盛顿州的地址的电话号码,对吧?志>办公室打电话,我来给你写下电话号码."他在电话边的小本子上写上了号码,撕下那一面交给她.你还可以在杂志上找到电话号码,向他们要编缉部.大多数情况下他们总是知道我的去处.你如果想见我,或者只是想聊聊天,千万别犹豫.不论我在世界上什么地方,你都可以给我打受话人付款的电话,这样你的电话帐单上就不会显示出来.再考虑一下我说过的话.我可以在这里呆着,干脆利落地解决问题,然后我们可以一起驱车向西北方向去."弗朗西丝卡无言.她知道他能干脆利落地解决问题.理查德比他小五岁,但是无论在智力上或是体力上都不是罗伯特.金凯的对手.

　　他穿上背心.她已失魂落魄,脑子一片空白."别走,罗伯特.金凯."她听见自己身体里某个部位这样叫道.

　　他拉着她的手通过后门走向他的卡车.他打开司机的门,把脚放在踏板上,然后又挪下来再次搂抱她几分钟.两人都不说话,只是站在那里,把相互感觉传递,吸引,铭刻于心,永不磨灭.再次肯定他所说的那特殊的生命的存在.

　　他最后一次放开了她,走进车里,开着门坐在那里.泪水从他的两颊流下来,泪水也从她两颊流下来.他慢慢地关上门,门缝嘎嘎作响.像往常一样,哈里总是不情愿启动,不过她能听见他的靴子踹那油门,那老卡车终于屈服了.

　　他把车转过来,坐在那里踹在离合器上,起先很严肃,然后微微咧嘴一笑,冲着小巷那边指指:"上大路,你知道.下个月我就会在印度东南部,要不要一张从那里寄来的明信片?"好说不出话来,不过摇摇头表示不要.让理查德在邮箱里发现这个会受不了.她知道罗伯特能理解.他点点头.

　　卡车倒驶进庭院,颠簸着经过铺着水泥的场院,小鸡从轮下四散逃走,杰克吠着把其中一只追到机器棚里.

　　罗伯特.金凯通过旅客座位那边的窗户向她招招手.她看见他手上的银镯子在阳光下闪烁.他衬衫的头两个扣子开着.

　　他驶进小巷,一直开下去,弗朗西丝卡不断地擦眼睛,使劲看,阳光映着她的泪水照着各种奇怪的折光.她像他们相会的第一天晚上那样急忙跑到小巷口看那小卡车颠着向前驶去,卡车驶到小巷终端停了下来,司机门弹开了,他出来踹在踏板上.他看见她在一百码之外,人因距离而变小了.

　　他站在那里凝视着,听凭哈里不耐烦地在热浪中转动.两人谁也不移步,他们已经告别过了.他们只是相对而视,一个是农夫之妻,一个是物种演变终端的生命,是最后的牛仔之一.他在那里站了三十秒钟,那双摄影师的眼睛没有漏过任何细节,制作出了他永不丢失的影像.

　　他关上了门,开动引擎,在他向左转到大路上时又哭了.就在农场西北边的一片树林挡住他的视线之前他又向后望去,望见她交叉着双腿坐在小巷口的尘土里,头埋在双手中.

1 marital   

adj.婚姻的，夫妻的

参考例句：

• Her son had no marital problems.她的儿子没有婚姻问题。
• I regret getting involved with my daughter's marital problems;all its done is to bring trouble about my ears.我后悔干涉我女儿的婚姻问题, 现在我所做的一切将给我带来无穷的烦恼。

2 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

3 awning   

n.遮阳篷；雨篷

参考例句：

• A large green awning is set over the glass window to shelter against the sun.在玻璃窗上装了个绿色的大遮棚以遮挡阳光。
• Several people herded under an awning to get out the shower.几个人聚集在门栅下避阵雨

4 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

5 stew   

n.炖汤，焖，烦恼；v.炖汤，焖，忧虑

参考例句：

• The stew must be boiled up before serving.炖肉必须煮熟才能上桌。
• There's no need to get in a stew.没有必要烦恼。

6 doorway   

n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径

参考例句：

• They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
• Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

7 mumbling   

含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I could hear him mumbling to himself. 我听到他在喃喃自语。
• He was still mumbling something about hospitals at the end of the party when he slipped on a piece of ice and broke his left leg. 宴会结束时，他仍在咕哝着医院里的事。说着说着，他在一块冰上滑倒，跌断了左腿。

8 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

9 ashtray   

n.烟灰缸

参考例句：

• He knocked out his pipe in the big glass ashtray.他在大玻璃烟灰缸里磕净烟斗。
• She threw the cigarette butt into the ashtray.她把烟头扔进烟灰缸。

10 butts   

笑柄( butt的名词复数 )； （武器或工具的）粗大的一端； 屁股； 烟蒂

参考例句：

• The Nazis worked them over with gun butts. 纳粹分子用枪托毒打他们。
• The house butts to a cemetery. 这所房子和墓地相连。

11 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

12 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。